AOPA/Air Care Course Seeks To Keep Relief Pilots Flying Safely

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Foundation’s Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released a new online course aimed at educating pilots about how to stay safe while volunteering their services for emergency relief.

The new program, Public Benefit Flying: Balancing Safety and Compassion, was developed in conjunction with the Air Care Alliance and offers users interactive techniques to examine flight profiles and decision making that takes pilots far beyond the realm of leisure flying. Users learn how to mitigate pressures and recognize treacherous mindsets that could lead to trouble, helping them become adept at managing the particular risks of volunteer flying. “As an organization dedicated to community service through public-benefit flying, the Air Care Alliance was pleased to partner with ASI on this new online course,” said Lindy Kirkland, president of the Alliance. “We hope that after viewing this course, more pilots will want to get involved in volunteer flying efforts.”

ASI’s charter is to provide continuing general aviation pilot education and safety programs, and the organization is a subset of the AOPA Foundation’s larger mission of protecting, preserving and improving the future of general aviation. AOPA (Booth No. 723) serves more than 400,000 pilots and airplane owners.